La Medusa, Columbia City: The Columbia City mainstay offers a warmth, a comfort and the sincerest of welcomes to the neighbors who fill up the reservation book on a weekly basis. Read the full review at Seattle Magazine. (Hayley Young)

La Medusa, Columbia City: The Columbia City mainstay offers a...

Sitka & Spruce, Capitol Hill: Though Matt Dillon’s Sitka & Spruce was born in a humble strip mall on Eastlake Avenue, it has since become a mecca for seasonal foraged foods, outgrowing both the space and the underdog persona. Read the full review at Seattle Magaine.

Photo: Joshua Trujillo, Seattlepi.com

Sitka & Spruce, Capitol Hill: Though Matt Dillon’s Sitka...

Dot’s Delicatessen, Fremont: House-made sausages and charcuterie at restaurants have excited diners for at least a decade now, but at Dot’s Delicatessen, the butcher shop/luncheonette/takeout joint in upper Fremont, what’s new is the prominence that the meat craft takes. Read the full review at Seattle Magazine. (Hayley Young)

Revel, Fremont: Revel bills itself as a purveyor of Asian comfort food, and reviewers rave about especially indulgent dishes such as the pork belly pancake and the short-rib dumplings. Read the full review at Seattle Magazine. (Hayley Young)

Revel, Fremont: Revel bills itself as a purveyor of Asian comfort...

The Walrus and the Carpenter, Ballard: Light and airy, with a hint of midcentury French industry, the Walrus is a raucous gathering place, a cocktail joint par excellence and, oh yes, a place to down local oysters like you’ve never done before. Read the full review at Seattle Magazine. (Hayley Young)

If you took a culinary snapshot of 2012, what would it taste like? Beyond the strong locavore focus and the eager seasonality of menus, Seattle restaurants have a unique spirit, a feel all their own. We celebrate this special Seattle flavor by calling out the restaurants that define our city— and the trends they exemplify. This is where to go to taste Seattle.